U.S. patent application number 16/114255 was filed with the patent office on 2019-02-28 for method of creating printed matter and printed matter.
This patent application is currently assigned to MIMAKI ENGINEERING CO., LTD.. The applicant listed for this patent is MIMAKI ENGINEERING CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Kazuki Bando, Hironori Hashizume.
Application Number | 20190061367 16/114255 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 63449264 |
Filed Date | 2019-02-28 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20190061367 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hashizume; Hironori ; et
al. |
February 28, 2019 |
METHOD OF CREATING PRINTED MATTER AND PRINTED MATTER
Abstract
To create a printed matter having favorable image quality that
can prevent air bubbles from being trapped at the time when a
protective film is attached to a medium. A method of creating
printed matter includes: an ink arrangement step of ejecting a
photocurable ink on a printing face of a medium by an inkjet method
so that an average surface roughness of the printing face is
smaller than 15 .mu.m and irradiating the photocurable ink with a
light to be cured; and a laminating step of attaching the
protective film to the medium by bonding an adhesive layer of the
protective film to the printing face and a surface of the
photocurable ink, and the protective film including the adhesive
layer having a thickness equal to or larger than 18 .mu.m and a
substrate supporting the adhesive layer.
Inventors: |
Hashizume; Hironori;
(Nagano, JP) ; Bando; Kazuki; (Nagano,
JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
MIMAKI ENGINEERING CO., LTD. |
Nagano |
|
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
MIMAKI ENGINEERING CO.,
LTD.
Nagano
JP
|
Family ID: |
63449264 |
Appl. No.: |
16/114255 |
Filed: |
August 28, 2018 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B41J 2202/20 20130101;
B41J 2/04501 20130101; B32B 37/003 20130101; B41M 7/0027 20130101;
C09D 11/32 20130101; B32B 37/1284 20130101; B41J 11/002 20130101;
B32B 37/06 20130101; B41M 7/0081 20130101; B41J 2/19 20130101; B32B
7/12 20130101; C09D 11/101 20130101; B32B 38/145 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B41J 2/19 20060101
B41J002/19; B32B 37/00 20060101 B32B037/00; B32B 37/06 20060101
B32B037/06; B32B 37/12 20060101 B32B037/12 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 30, 2017 |
JP |
2017-165751 |
Claims
1. A method of creating printed matter, comprising: an ink
arrangement step of ejecting a photocurable ink onto a printing
face of a medium by an inkjet method so that an average surface
roughness of the printing face is smaller than 15 .mu.m, and
irradiating the photocurable ink with a light to be cured; and a
laminating step of attaching a protective film to the medium by
bonding an adhesive layer of the protective film to the printing
face and a surface of the photocurable ink, and the protective film
including the adhesive layer having a thickness equal to or larger
than 18 .mu.m and a substrate supporting the adhesive layer.
2. The method of creating printed matter according to claim 1,
wherein the laminating step is performed while heating the medium
and the protective film at a temperature equal to or higher than
40.degree. C. and equal to or lower than 60.degree. C.
3. The method of creating printed matter according to claim 1,
wherein the laminating step includes conveying the medium and the
protective film in a same direction at a conveying speed equal to
or lower than 3.0 m/minute to be attached to each other.
4. The method of creating printed matter according to claim 2,
wherein the laminating step includes conveying the medium and the
protective film in a same direction at a conveying speed equal to
or lower than 3.0 m/minute to be attached to each other.
5. A printed matter, comprising: a medium, having a printing face
on which a photocurable ink is placed in a cured state so that an
average surface roughness of the printing face is smaller than 15
.mu.m; and a protective film, including an adhesive layer having a
thickness equal to or larger than 18 .mu.m and a substrate
supporting the adhesive layer, in which the adhesive layer is
attached to the printed matter in a state of being bonded to the
printing face and a surface of the photocurable ink, wherein a
ratio of an air bubble area between the medium and the protective
film is smaller than 13%.
6. The printed matter according to claim 5, wherein the substrate
of the protective film has a thickness equal to or larger than 50
.mu.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the priority benefit of Japanese
Patent Application No. 2017-165751, filed on Aug. 30, 2017. The
entirety of the above-mentioned patent application is hereby
incorporated by reference herein and made a part of this
specification.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present disclosure relates to a method of creating
printed matter and a printed matter.
BACKGROUND ART
[0003] To protect a printing face and an ink, a protective film may
be attached to the printing face and a surface of the ink, after
the ink is ejected onto the printing face of a medium by an inkjet
method (for example, refer to Patent Literature 1).
[0004] Patent Literature 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication
No. 2017-113980
SUMMARY
[0005] In a case of attaching the protective film to a medium as
described above, air bubbles may be trapped in a space between the
medium and the protective film. If a large air bubble is present or
a large number of air bubbles are present, an observer may perceive
cloudiness when observing the printing face from above the
protective film, and such air bubbles may deteriorate image
quality. Thus, there is a demand for a technique for preventing air
bubbles from being trapped when the medium and the protective film
are attached to each other.
[0006] The present disclosure has been made in view of such a
situation, and the present disclosure provides a method of creating
printed matter and a printed matter that can prevent air bubbles
from being trapped when the medium and the protective film are
attached to each other and that can create a printed matter having
favorable image quality.
[0007] The method of creating printed matter according to the
present disclosure includes: an ink arrangement step of ejecting a
photocurable ink onto a printing face of a medium by an inkjet
method so that an average surface roughness of the printing face is
smaller than 15 .mu.m and irradiating the photocurable ink with a
light to be cured; and a laminating step of attaching the
protective film to the medium by bonding an adhesive layer of a
protective film to the printing face and a surface of the
photocurable ink, and the protective film including the adhesive
layer having a thickness equal to or larger than 18 .mu.m and a
substrate supporting the adhesive layer.
[0008] The present inventors found that air bubbles can be
prevented from being trapped when the protective film is attached
to the medium by attaching the protective film having the adhesive
layer of which has the thickness equal to or larger than 18 .mu.m
to the medium on which the photocurable ink is placed so that the
average surface roughness of the printing face is smaller than 15
.mu.m. Thus, the present disclosure includes: the ink arrangement
step of arranging the photocurable ink onto the printing face of
the medium by the inkjet method so that the average surface
roughness of the printing face is smaller than 15 .mu.m; and the
laminating step of attaching the protective film to the medium by
bonding the adhesive layer of the protective film to the printing
face and the surface of the photocurable ink, and the protective
film including the adhesive layer having a thickness equal to or
larger than 18 .mu.m and the substrate supporting the adhesive
layer, so that air bubbles can be prevented from being trapped when
the protective film is attached to the medium, and a printed matter
having favorable image quality can be created. A reason for air
bubbles being prevented from entering is unclear, but it is
estimated that, although the adhesive layer should have a certain
thickness to follow surface unevenness represented as the surface
roughness, a point at which the surface unevenness and adhesive
layer thickness are balanced is within a range of the numerical
values described above.
[0009] In the method of creating printed matter, the laminating
step may be performed while heating the medium and the protective
film at a temperature equal to or higher than 40.degree. C. and
equal to or lower than 60.degree. C. Due to this, adhesiveness of
the adhesive layer to the medium is improved, so that air bubbles
can more securely be prevented from being trapped when the
protective film is attached to the medium.
[0010] In the method of creating printed matter, the laminating
step may include attaching the protective film to the medium while
the medium and the protective film are conveyed in a same direction
at a conveying speed equal to or lower than 3.0 m/minute. Due to
this, the adhesive layer can be securely bonded to the medium, so
that air bubbles can more securely be prevented from being trapped
when the protective film is attached to the medium.
[0011] A printed matter according to the present disclosure
includes: a medium, having a printing face on which a photocurable
ink is placed in a cured state so that an average surface roughness
of the printing face is smaller than 15 .mu.m; and a protective
film, including an adhesive layer having a thickness equal to or
larger than 18 .mu.m and a substrate supporting the adhesive layer,
in which the adhesive layer is attached to the medium in a state of
being bonded to the printing face and a surface of the photocurable
ink, wherein a ratio of air bubble area between the medium and the
protective film is smaller than 13%.
[0012] According to the present disclosure, a ratio of air bubble
area between the medium and the protective film is smaller than
13%, so that, when the observer observes the printing face from
above the protective film with the naked eye, for example,
cloudiness that the observer perceives can be reduced. Due to this,
printed matter having favorable image quality can be obtained.
[0013] In the printed matter described above, the substrate of the
protective film may have a thickness equal to or larger than 50
.mu.m. Due to this, creases and the like can be prevented from
being formed on the protective film, and the printing face can be
securely protected.
[0014] According to the present disclosure, air bubbles can be
prevented from being trapped when the protective film is attached
to the medium, and the printed matter having favorable image
quality can be created.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of
a printed matter according to an embodiment.
[0016] FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a method of
creating printed matter according to the embodiment.
[0017] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of an ink
arrangement step in the method of creating printed matter according
to the embodiment.
[0018] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a laminating
step in the method of creating printed matter according to the
embodiment.
[0019] FIG. 5 is a table illustrating a relation among a thickness
of a substrate, a thickness of an adhesive layer, and a ratio of
air bubble area for printed matter according to examples and a
comparative example.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0020] The following describes an embodiment of a method of
creating printed matter and a printed matter according to the
present disclosure based on the drawings. The present disclosure is
not limited to the embodiment. Components in the following
embodiment include a component that is replaceable and easily
conceivable by those skilled in the art, and substantially the same
component.
[0021] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of
a printed matter 100 according to the present embodiment. As
illustrated in FIG. 1, the printed matter 100 includes a medium 10
and a protective film 20.
[0022] The medium 10 is formed in a sheet shape using a resin
material such as a vinyl chloride resin, for example. The medium 10
has a printing face 11. An ink 12 is placed on the printing face
11. The ink 12 is, for example, a photocurable ink containing a
photocurable material that is cured by being irradiated with light
such as ultraviolet rays. Photocurable ink including colored ink,
such as white ink, cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black
(K), and transparent ink can be appropriately used, for example,
depending on a color of an image formed on the medium 10.
[0023] The ink 12 is placed on the printing face 11 so that an
average surface roughness Sa is smaller than 15 .mu.m. The average
surface roughness is what is called an arithmetic mean height,
which is a value obtained by averaging heights from the printing
face 11 for each piece of ink 12. The ink 12 is ejected onto the
printing face 11 by the inkjet method, for example. In this case,
by adjusting an ejection amount of the ink ejected by the inkjet
method, the height of the ink landed on the printing face 11 can be
controlled. In a case of ejecting the ink 12 by the inkjet method,
the ejection amount of the ink 12 is easily controlled to cause the
average surface roughness Sa of the printing face 11 to be smaller
than 15 .mu.m without requiring especially difficult control.
[0024] The protective film 20 is attached to the printing face 11
of the medium 10 to protect the printing face 11. The protective
film 20 includes a substrate 21 and an adhesive layer 22. The
substrate 21 is formed in a sheet shape using a resin material such
as a vinyl chloride resin material, for example. The substrate 21
may be formed by using the same material as that of the medium 10.
Thickness t1 of the substrate 21 may be set to be equal to or
larger than 50 .mu.m, for example, but is not limited thereto. The
thickness t1 may be equal to or smaller than 50 .mu.m.
[0025] The adhesive layer 22 is supported by the substrate 21 and
formed by using an acrylic resin material. The adhesive layer 22 is
bonded to the printing face 11 and the surface of the ink 12. The
adhesive layer 22 has elasticity to deform following the shape of
the surface of the ink 12 arranged on the printing face 11 in a
protruding manner. Thickness t2 of the adhesive layer 22 is set to
be equal to or larger than 18 .mu.m, for example.
[0026] The following describes a ratio of air bubble area of the
printed matter 100. In a case in which an air bubble portion is
present between the medium 10 and the protective film 20, when the
printing face 11 is observed from above the protective film 20 with
an optical microscope, luminance of the air bubble portion is
higher than that in the other portion. In the present embodiment,
from measurement target regions of the printed matter 100, a region
having luminance higher than a predetermined threshold is extracted
as an extracted region, an area ratio of the extracted region to
the entire measurement target regions is calculated, and the
calculation result is assumed to be the ratio of air bubble area.
Thus, as a value of the ratio of air bubble area is smaller, a
trapping degree of air bubbles between the medium 10 and the
protective film 20 is lower.
[0027] In the printed matter 100 described above, the ratio of air
bubble area is smaller than 13% in a case of observing the printing
face 11 with a microscope from above the protective film 20. By
causing the ratio of air bubble area to be smaller than 13%, in a
case in which the observer observes the printing face 11 with the
naked eye from above the protective film 20, cloudiness that the
observer perceives can be reduced.
[0028] Next, the following describes a method of creating the
printed matter 100 configured as described above (a method of
creating printed matter). FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an
example of the method of creating printed matter according to the
present embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the method of
creating printed matter includes an ink arrangement step (Step S10)
and a laminating step (Step S20).
[0029] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of an ink
arrangement step in the method of creating printed matter according
to the present embodiment. At the ink arrangement step S10, an
ultraviolet curable ink 12 is ejected onto the printing face 11
from an inkjet head 15 (Step S11). At Step S11, the ink 12 is
ejected while moving the inkjet head 15 in a main scanning
direction, and the ejected ink 12 is caused to be landed on the
printing face 11 of the medium 10. At the ink arrangement step S10,
an ultraviolet irradiation device 16 is moved following a moving
direction of the inkjet head 15, and ultraviolet rays L are applied
from the ultraviolet irradiation device 16 to the ink 12 to be
cured (Step S12).
[0030] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of the
laminating step in the method of creating printed matter according
to the present embodiment. At the laminating step S20, first, the
medium 10 on which the ink 12 is cured and the protective film 20
are conveyed (Step S21). At Step S21, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the
medium 10 on which the ink 12 is cured is formed in a roll shape
and mounted on a medium supplier 10R. The protective film 20 in
which the adhesive layer 22 is held by the substrate 21 is formed
in a roll shape and mounted on a protective film supplier 20R. From
this state, one end of the medium 10 and one end of the protective
film 20 are drawn out. The medium 10 is hung on a conveyance roller
31 to be sent to pinch rollers 33 and 34. The medium 10 is conveyed
so that the printing face 11 is opposed to the protective film 20.
The protective film 20 is hung on the conveyance roller 32 to be
sent to the pinch rollers 33 and 34. The protective film 20 is
conveyed so that the adhesive layer 22 is opposed to the printing
face 11 of the medium 10.
[0031] At the laminating step S20, the protective film 20 is
attached to the medium 10 by the pinch rollers 33 and 34 (Step
S22). At Step S22, the medium 10 and the protective film 20 are
pinched by the pinch rollers 33 and 34, and the adhesive layer 22
of the protective film 20 is bonded to the printing face 11 of the
medium 10 and the surface of the ink 12. Due to this, the
protective film 20 is attached to the medium 10.
[0032] A heating mechanism 35 is arranged in the pinch roller 34
arranged on the protective film 20 side. The heating mechanism 35
heats the pinch roller 34. Due to this, the medium 10 and the
protective film 20 are heated via the pinch roller 34. In the
heating mechanism 35, a heating temperature for heating the pinch
roller 34 is adjusted so that the medium 10 and the protective film
20 are heated at a temperature equal to or higher than 40.degree.
C. and equal to or lower than 60.degree. C.
[0033] The medium 10 and the protective film 20 that are pinched by
the pinch rollers 33 and 34 to be attached to each other are sent
out forward in the conveying direction by the pinch rollers 33 and
34. The pinch rollers 33 and 34 sends out the medium 10 and the
protective film 20 so that a conveying speed of the medium 10 and
the protective film 20 is equal to or lower than 3.0 m/minute. By
cutting the medium 10 and the protective film 20 sent out from the
pinch rollers 33 and 34 in an appropriate size, the printed matter
100 is obtained.
[0034] As described above, the method of creating printed matter
according to the present embodiment includes: the ink arrangement
step S10 of ejecting the photocurable ink 12 to the printing face
11 of the medium 10 by the inkjet method so that the average
surface roughness is smaller than 15 .mu.m, and irradiating the ink
12 with light to be cured; and the laminating step S20 of attaching
the protective film 20 to the medium 10 by boding the adhesive
layer 22 of the protective film 20 to the printing face 11 and the
surface of the ink 12, the protective film 20 including the
adhesive layer 22 having the thickness equal to or larger than 18
.mu.m and the substrate 21 supporting the adhesive layer 22.
[0035] The present inventors found that air bubbles can be
prevented from being trapped when the protective film 20 is
attached to the medium 10 by attaching the protective film 20 in
which the thickness of the adhesive layer 22 is equal to or larger
than 18 .mu.m to the medium 10 on which the ink 12 is placed so
that the average surface roughness Sa of the printing face 11 is
smaller than 15 .mu.m. Thus, with the method of creating printed
matter according to the present embodiment, air bubbles can be
prevented from being trapped when the protective film 20 is
attached to the medium 10, and the printed matter 100 having
favorable image quality can be created. In the present embodiment,
the ink 12 is ejected by the inkjet method, so that the average
surface roughness Sa of the printing face 11 can be easily caused
to be smaller than 15 .mu.m. Thus, air bubbles can be easily
prevented from being trapped by substantially adjusting a condition
of the protective film 20 without strictly controlling the ejection
amount and the like of the ink 12 more than necessary.
[0036] In the method of creating printed matter according to the
present embodiment, the laminating step S20 may be performed while
heating the medium 10 and the protective film 20 at the temperature
equal to or higher than 40.degree. C. and equal to or lower than
60.degree. C. Due to this, adhesiveness of the adhesive layer 22 to
the medium 10 is improved, so that air bubbles can more securely be
prevented from being trapped when the protective film 20 is
attached to the medium 10.
[0037] In the method of creating printed matter according to the
present embodiment, the laminating step S20 may include attaching
the protective film 20 to the medium 10 while conveying them in the
same direction at the conveying speed equal to or lower than 3.0
m/minute. Due to this, the adhesive layer 22 can be securely bonded
to the medium 10, so that air bubbles can more securely be
prevented from being trapped when the protective film 20 is
attached to the medium 10.
[0038] The printed matter 100 according to the present embodiment
includes: the medium 10 having the printing face 11 on which the
photocurable ink 12 is placed in a cured state so that the average
surface roughness Sa is smaller than 15 .mu.m; and the protective
film 20 including the adhesive layer 22 having the thickness equal
to or larger than 18 .mu.m and the substrate 21 supporting the
adhesive layer 22, in which the adhesive layer 22 is attached to
the medium 10 in a state of being bonded to the printing face 11
and the surface of the ink 12, and the ratio of air bubble area
between the protective film 20 and the medium 10 is smaller than
13%.
[0039] With this configuration, the ratio of air bubble area
between the medium 10 and the protective film 20 is smaller than
13%, so that, in a case in which the observer observes the printing
face 11 with the naked eye from above the protective film 20, for
example, cloudiness that the observer perceives can be reduced. Due
to this, the printed matter 100 having favorable image quality can
be obtained.
[0040] In the printed matter 100 according to the present
embodiment, the thickness of the substrate 21 of the protective
film 20 may be equal to or larger than 50 .mu.m. Due to this,
creases and the like can be prevented from being formed on the
protective film 20, and the printing face 11 can be securely
protected.
[0041] The technique of the present disclosure is not limited to
the embodiment described above and can be appropriately modified
without departing from the gist of the present disclosure. For
example, in the embodiment described above, exemplified is a case
of forming the medium 10 and the protective film 20 in a roll shape
to be attached to each other, but the embodiment is not limited
thereto. The medium 10 and the protective film 20 may be formed in
a rectangular shape, and one medium 10 and one protective film 20
may be attached to each other.
EXAMPLES
[0042] Next, the following describes examples of the present
disclosure. FIG. 5 is a table illustrating a relation among the
thickness of the substrate, the thickness of the adhesive layer
(unit: .mu.m), and the ratio of air bubble area (unit: %) for
printed matter according to the examples and a comparative example.
Herein, the printed matter 100 was formed by attaching the
protective film in which the substrate and the adhesive layer both
have a thickness of predetermined value to the medium (the
comparative example, and first to fourth examples). The temperature
at the time of attachment is assumed to be 25.degree. in each case,
and the conveying speed of the medium and the protective film is
assumed to be 3.0 m/minute in each case.
[0043] As illustrated in FIG. 5, in the comparative example 1,
PLS-G (manufactured by MIMAKI ENGINEERING CO., LTD.) was used as a
substrate of the protective film. The thickness of the substrate
(PVC, monomeric) is assumed to be 55 .mu.m, and the thickness of
the adhesive layer (acrylic) is assumed to be 15 .mu.m. In the
first example, monomeric PVC was used as the substrate of the
protective film. In the first embodiment, the thickness of the
substrate is assumed to be 75 .mu.m, and the thickness of the
adhesive layer (acrylic) is assumed to be 18 .mu.m. In the second
example, monomeric PVC was used as the substrate of the protective
film. In the second example, the thickness of the substrate is
assumed to be 70 .mu.m, and the thickness of the adhesive layer
(acrylic) is assumed to be 25 .mu.m. In the third example,
polymeric PVC was used as the substrate of the protective film. In
the third example, the thickness of the substrate is assumed to be
50 .mu.m, and the thickness of the adhesive layer (acrylic,
solvent-based polyacrylic acid) is assumed to be 50 .mu.m. In the
fourth example, cast PVC was used as the substrate of the
protective film. In the fourth example, the thickness of the
substrate is assumed to be 22 .mu.m, and the thickness of the
adhesive layer (acrylic, permanent acrylic) is assumed to be 34
.mu.m.
[0044] Thereafter, for a plurality of regions of the printed matter
according to the comparative example and the first to fourth
examples, the ratio of air bubble area was measured by microscope
observation. In microscope observation, luminance of the air bubble
portion becomes high. Thus, from measurement target regions of the
printed matter according to the comparative example and the first
to fourth examples, a region having the luminance higher than a
predetermined threshold in microscope observation was extracted to
be an extracted region, an area ratio of the extracted region to
the entire measurement target region was calculated, and the
calculation result was assumed to be the ratio of air bubble
area.
[0045] As illustrated in FIG. 5, the ratio of air bubble area was
20% at the maximum in the printed matter according to the
comparative example. The ratio of air bubble area was 3% at the
maximum in the printed matter according to the first example. The
ratio of air bubble area was 12% at the maximum in the printed
matter according to the second example. The ratio of air bubble
area was 3% at the maximum in the printed matter according to the
third example. The ratio of air bubble area was 3% at the maximum
in the printed matter according to the fourth example. In this way,
the ratio of air bubble area was smaller than 13% in all the pieces
of printed matter according to the first to fourth examples. Thus,
the printed matter according to the first to fourth examples has
reduced cloudiness, thereby having high image quality.
* * * * *